I have worked with many mothers over the years whose babies were
exclusively breastfed for > 6 months.  I suggest watching the baby
for signs of readiness.  I also suggest monitoring the baby a little

more closely than if he is eating solids. This should include
checking for iron staus, a good physical and regular (monthly) weight

checks. I have noticed that if a baby has a developmental problem of

some sort he may be uninterested, unwilling or unable to start
solids> This may in fact be the first sign of a problem.  Most babies

who don't start solids have a fine hemoglobin/hematocrit, but some
don't and those need an iron source- either food or drops. Most
babies gain fine- I had a friend with a 36 pound baby who didn't
start solids until 16 months.  If a baby continues to gain-don't
worry, if growth falls off or if baby starts to lose weight, they
need more calories, so one should add food.  It is easy to give
dogmatic advice, but babies are all so different that we need to look

at each one alone.  It is also helpful to remember that
recommendations are based on a group or population of babies and not

on individuals. What is best for the group may not be best for your
baby.  Cathy

PS- I decided if 6 months excllusive BF was good, 12 months must be
better for my last baby and intended to withhold solids until after
his first birthday. At 5 months he crawled across a rug to get a
croissant- not to be denied and I had to feed him regularly after
that whether I liked it or not : )